Introduction: The Intention to Build a Revolutionary Marxist Party
Red Spark is a pre-party formation with a long-term goal of establishing a revolutionary Marxist party. This party will be built on a clear program, aimed primarily at organising and leading the working class and its allies to overthrow the rule of the capitalist class and create a socialist society. All of the group’s activities, methods, and internal organisation are designed to serve this goal.
Red Spark will model its organisational structure and methods on the proven Leninist principles, particularly democratic centralism. The Bolshevik Party of Lenin stands as the most exemplary model for leading a proletarian revolution.
Building a new revolutionary party in Australia presents several challenges:
1. The Decline of Marxist and Left-wing Politics
Since the decline of the Communist Party of Australia in the late 1980s and the failure of the Democratic Socialist Party in the early 2000s, there has been no significant presence of a Marxist cadre party that understands global politics and economics as structured along imperialist lines—where a small group of oppressor countries dominate the rest, which are oppressed and exploited. Over the past two decades, both the left wing of social democracy and bourgeois liberal politics have also weakened under the pressures of the Labor-Liberal neo-liberal consensus. Left-wing social democracy has virtually disappeared, with only a few elements finding a home in The Greens. At the same time, neo-liberalism’s extreme identity politics have permeated many areas.
The atrophy of social democratic, liberal, and socialist politics over at least the last 20 years has left the remaining anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist dissent under the influence of either misguided socialist ideas that ignore the central role of imperialism or narrow identity politics.
This period of decline has also seen a reduction in trade union membership and activity, weakening their role as vehicles for improving wages and conditions, and eroding the basis for any collective political life, even within a social democratic framework. As a result, the culture of struggle for a better future has been deeply eroded, especially in the face of the threat of global warming.
On all fronts, Australian socialists face the task of rebuilding organisationally and ideologically in order to reignite the conviction that a better future is possible through struggle.
2. The Economic Divide: Australia’s Wealth and Inequality
Australia is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of GDP and wealth per capita. However, this wealth is distributed in a grotesque and unjust manner. A huge portion of the nation’s wealth is concentrated in the hands of a tiny elite, leaving little for critical social needs, such as eliminating poverty, funding a transition to renewable energy, or reviving education and culture.
The redistribution of wealth, particularly the portion derived from imperialist exploitation, is not even on the political agenda. Even among those in Australia who are not facing immediate economic hardship, neo-liberal propaganda about fiscal crises and impending economic doom continues to dominate. The outsourcing of work and rising housing costs further deepen economic insecurity, alienation, and stress throughout society.
Addressing these issues demands a process of rebuilding: overcoming economic insecurity, combating alienation, and rekindling an interest in both the country and the world, driven by a desire for change.
3. Alienation and Oppression in Contemporary Australia
Deep forms of alienation persist, which stem from the economic and social atomisation upon which capitalism is based and the erosion of collective progressive organisations. This alienation is particularly brutal for women, Indigenous peoples, migrants, and those marginalised based on sexual orientation, gender, ability, or race.
The liberation of women is more than a question of rights; it is central to the fight to overthrow capitalism. The oppression of women is inextricably linked to private ownership of the means of production, which is at the core of capitalist social relations. Thus, women’s liberation cannot ultimately be achieved without socialism and no socialist victory is possible without the liberation of women.
We stand in solidarity with the struggles of Indigenous peoples in Australia. Indigenous people, as the original custodians of this land, cared for the country and lived in harmony with the natural environment for tens of thousands of years. The success of socialism depends on reconnecting human development with the environment, and this can only be achieved with respect for Indigenous communities and culture. We also acknowledge the historical genocide of Indigenous peoples in Australia and support campaigns for Indigenous social justice.
4. Solidarity with the Global South: International Struggles
Australian socialists face the challenge of developing a true understanding of and practice in solidarity with the more than four-fifths of humanity living in the oppressed countries of the Global South. The world is starkly divided between a small group of rich nations and the vast majority of societies in the Global South, including poorer former socialist countries.
The rich countries continue to dominate the global capitalist economy and maintain the structures of exploitation. These imperialist countries, including the United States, Australia, and others, exploit the Global South and strive to maintain this global divide. In recent years, imperialist hostility towards China and Russia—two countries that remain significantly poorer—has intensified. This follows a long history of imperialist opposition to countries in the Global South that rejected capitalism or sought independent paths.
This new wave of hostility has brought about increased militarism and attacks on dissenting voices. The reasons behind this escalating imperialist aggression require urgent study and opposition.
We particularly defend the Cuban and Venezuelan revolutions against counter-revolutionary efforts. We oppose Australia’s imperialist aggression and warmongering against nations of the Global South, in particular China and Russia.
Particular current struggles
Australia’s Support for Zionist Israel and the Fight for Palestinian Freedom
Regarding Palestine: the Australian ruling class and state have continued to support the genocidal policies of Zionist Israel against the Palestinian people. The entire Global North has supported Israel, endorsing resolutions calling for a ceasefire while supporting Israel’s one-state policy of a Greater Israel, which would create disempowered Palestinian bantustans.
Supporters of Palestinian freedom and opponents of Zionist genocide maintained protests across Australian capital cities throughout 2024. However, these efforts have not forced substantial concessions from the ruling class. Meanwhile, Israel’s genocide, apartheid, and military expansionism continues, and international pressure on Israel has yet to lead to significant change.
In Australia, the challenge is to find ways to make solidarity campaigns for Palestine more powerful. This cannot be separated from rebuilding progressive institutions as well asideological depth and cultural activity more broadly. Still, building Palestine solidarity cannot wait for these efforts to grow; the two must be integrated, and a nationwide discussion on this challenge is urgently needed.
Socialism as Universal Human Solidarity
Socialism must embody the deepest and most universal human solidarity. Any form of “socialism” that focuses solely on Australia or ignores the global structural divide is not genuine socialism. There can be no meaningful socialist movement in Australia if it does not fight for justice and prosperity for everyone, everywhere through an end of global inequality. Many of the moral crimes committed by the Australian ruling class, such as the demonisation of refugees and migrants from the Global South, stem from imperialist policies that have caused wars and economic crises.
Socialism without a committed anti-imperialist stance is an empty socialism. Australia has a rich history of anti-imperialist solidarity, including the trade union bans of Dutch ships attempting to recolonise Indonesia in 1945-46, the mass movement against the Vietnam War, and decades of solidarity with Timor Leste’s independence struggle. However, both radical anti-imperialist solidarity and more liberal forms of global concern have diminished in recent years.
Rebuilding anti-imperialist understanding and international solidarity is a fundamental priority for Red Spark.
Building a Climate Justice Movement
Red Spark is committed to building a mass-based climate justice movement. We believe the capitalist system cannot be reformed to stop environmental destruction or resolve the ongoing environmental crises. Only a socialist society can safeguard and restore the environment.
However, we strongly reject the defeatist idea that it is impossible to win meaningful environmental reforms from capitalist governments, including in Australia. It is urgent that we continue to pressure the government for immediate, concrete measures to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate environmental destruction. We advocate for campaigns with concrete demands, such as “no new fossil fuel projects!” or opposition to specific harmful projects and developments.
Our Structure
Membership
The conditions of Red Spark membership are:
- Members agree with the Red Spark Statement and have familiarised themselves with other basic readings.
- Applications for provisional membership can be approved by the branch executive to which they are applying. Applications by people not living close to any branch (who are at-large), or by former members of the organisation, are considered by a national body.
- Members operate as provisional members for at least six months and usually no more than nine months. Provisional Members shall not be entitled to:
- 3.1. Move motions or vote in meetings.
- 3.2 Nominate, be nominated or elected to leadership bodies.
At the end of the minimum six-month period of provisional membership, the branch general meeting (or a national party body in the case of former members and at-large applicants for membership) may take a decision on accepting membership.
- Members undertake assignments agreed to with branch or national leadership bodies.
- Members pay weekly dues (according to a set minimum schedule).
Decision Making Structures
6. The highest decision-making body is the National Conference which will meet annually.
7. Between National Conferences, there will be regular National Members Meetings, conducted online. These should take place at least quarterly, but can be more frequent as required. They can be called by the National Executive or by a petition of 1/2 of the membership. National Members Meetings are empowered to make decisions between national conferences in accordance with perspectives set by the national conference.
8. The National Executive (NE) is empowered to make decisions between the National Conference and National Members Meetings in accordance with perspectives set by the National Conference. The National Executive is elected by the National Conference or by a National Members Meeting. Other national positions within the NE can also be elected by the National Conference or National Members Meeting.
9. A branch can be constituted by 5 members. Members in each city or other operative location will be organised by a branch organiser, co-organisers or branch executives, either elected by full members in a specific location or appointed by the NE where there are insufficient members to form a branch. Branch executives are empowered to make decisions between branch meetings in accordance with perspectives set by branch meetings.
Friends of Red Spark
People who are sympathetic and supportive of Red Spark’s politics but feel they cannot currently commit to the project of building a new group are encouraged to join Friends of Red Spark as financial and political supporters.
Friends of Red Spark:
- Are in general agreement with the ideas expressed in the Red Spark Statement.
- Contribute regular dues in accordance with what they deem possible.
- Are invited to red spark public events, meetings and activities and support these to the best of their ability and situation.
- Do not have the rights of members to participate in Red Spark’s decision-making processes.
